Resumo

CUSTODIO, Nilton et al. Depression and dementia in the mental health of old age. Rev Neuropsiquiatr [online]. 2014, vol.77, n.4, pp.214-225. ISSN 0034-8597.

Depression and dementia, in particular Alzheimer´s disease (AD) are critically important issues in the mental health of old age. Both conditions apparently reduce quality of life and increase the impairment of activities of daily living for elderly persons. AD usually shows poor prognosis owing to progressive neuronal degeneration, while depression is basically reversible. Longitudinal follow-up and case-control studies reported a strong association between late-onset depression and dementia, and therefore increased risk was observed in 2-5 times to develop dementia in patients with late-onset depression. Furthermore, early-onset depression have also consistenly demonstrated to be a risk factor for dementia and unlikely to be prodromal to dementia. The nature of this association (if depression is a prodrome or consequence of, or risk factor for dementia) remains unclear. Regardless of this, treatment strategies for depression could alter the risk of dementia

Palavras-chave : Dementia; depression; Alzheimer´s disease; risk factor.

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